Dogs are one ov the luxurys ov civilizashun.
In uncivilized life they perhaps are more one ov the necessitys, az they
quite often are cooked, and eaten whole.
Among the civilized, if they ever do git onto a bill ov fare, (ov which
i have mi own private doubts,) they are more artisktly handled, and
enter into hash, or sassage, not az the leading artikle, but more tew
kreate a good average.
But i am not now disposed to treat ov dogs az vittles, but as the
companyun ov man, hiz pet, and hiz partner.
The Nu foundland dog iz a natiff ov the place whare the nobel kodfish iz
kaught.
He dont liv in the water, like the kodfish, but unlike the kodfish, livs
on the land.
Hiz principal amuzement iz saving life, and i am told that thare iz
hardly a man, or a woman, in all Nu foundland, but what haz had their
lives saved several times by these wonderful dogs.
They are taken from Nu foundland to various parts ov the world, and are
kept for the purpose ov dragging the drowning from a watery grave.
Yu will find them in mountaneous countrys, whare thare aint enny water,
but little brooks. Here they dont hav mutch to do, in their line ov
bizzness, and git verry fatt.
But i am told, that even here, they dont forget their natur, and kan
often be seen looking down into the wells, after drowning men.
This shows the grate power ov instinkt, and the force ov bizzness
habits, alwus looking for a job.
I never hav had mi life saved by one ov theze nobel kritters, but am
reddy tew hav it done, at enny time, at the usual rates.
Life iz sweet, and it iz cheaper tew hav it saved by a dog than by a
doktor.
But these dogs are all hydropaths, and thare iz sum pholks so kussid
sentimental that they had rather die than be doktered bi ennything else
than an old skool allopath.
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I am just phool enuff, if I waz in the pond, just at the pint ov deth on
ackount ov too mutch water, and thare waz a Nufoundland dog standing on
the shore out ov a job, I should let him handle the case, rather than
send four miles for a regular dokter.
I may be all wrong in this, but if the dog hauled me out all right, I
should hav time tew repent ov mi blunder, and next time send for a
physician with a diploma.
It iz never too late tew repent ov a blunder, not if you hav got plenty
ov time on hand that you don't kno what to do with.
I never hav owned a Nufoundland dog, but just az soon as i git able tew
board one, without skrimping mi family, i mean to buy one, or borro one,
just for hiz board.
I don't know ov ennything more magnificent than tew hav a grate
illustrious Nufoundland dog tew follow yu in a mountaneous country.
I liv at Pordunk (the home ov the Billings family) and Pordunk iz not a
wet place.
Thare iz sum good wells thare, and two grocerys, but the water
priviliges at Pordunk are used only az a beverage.
Thare iz only one Nufoundland dog now at Pordunk, and i think the town
would support two.
I don't suppose i should hav work enuff tew keep one ov theze nobel
animals bizzy hauling drowning men out ov wells, but in the spring ov
the year, after the gardens waz made, i could lend him out tew the
nabors tew run in the gardens.
I don't kno ov enny thing better tew keep the angleworms, and early
lettiss, and beets out ov a garden than a full-grown Nufoundland pup.
It iz nothing but phun tew giv them a kalf-skin boot, and turn them out
into a nu-made garden, and see them kick up their heels, stir up the
garden, and jerk the boot.